1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to an improved assembly for use in anchoring an artificial tooth in a jawbone.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
An assembly of the above type is known where use is made of a metallic connector sleeve which is mounted, in upright position, above a root fixture secured in the cavity of the jawbone left by the extracted tooth; the sleeve passing through the patient's gum. A tooth combination, which includes an artificial tooth and an insert solid with it, is set squarely over the top of the sleeve and is fastened to the root fixture by means of a screw attachment passing through the insert and the sleeve.
In order to prevent the gum tissue from building up around the connection sleeve and over the heading cap, during the healing period which follows the implantation of the root fixture, the connector sleeve has to be made sufficiently long so as to project safely beyond the top of accumulated gum tissue. However, the upper part of the connector sleeve, which is made of metal such as titanium, then becomes exposed and visible which is of course quite unsightly. The situation may be further aggravated when subsequent resorption of the gum tissue is important.
Another drawback with the known implant assembly is that there is no positive structure to ensure that the tooth combination, and thus the tooth itself, will not eventually rotate on its supporting connector sleeve. While the clamping force applied by the screw attachment mentioned above to fastened the tooth combination on the root fixture may be increased, this can only be done to a limited extent which, in some cases, is found not to be sufficient to prevent eventual tooth rotation.